At first, Nelson thought it was an island but then realized upon closer inspection, and with the help of a telescope, that the island had a wake and was moving.

There, they were welcomed by a group of naked people that came out of a hatch in the creature's shell and live on this living island.

Lobsang, having visited the traverser several times before bringing Nelson with him, was able to fill him in about what he learned so far about Second Person Singular and its inhabitants.

Second Person Singular, and the other traversers, usually keep far from the Datum but this particular traverser seemed to have got lost after straying too close to the Datum and is now trying to reach a place, that roughly translate as "sanctuary" in the human language, next to this world's Puget Sound.

The beast had carried about a hundred humans and now carries on his back several animals that are roughly the same size, like horses, dwarf giraffes or even mammoths the size of ponies.[2]

Most creatures around the beast are docile and the beast take care of them. It shelters his inhabitants in air-filled chambers inside the carapace whenever he needs to submerge.

Lobsang and Nelson stayed a few days there and left after teaching metalwork and how to draw wire to the islanders.[2]